EEE 
, NATURE 
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1897. 
THE STUDY OF BACTERIOLOGY. 
A Text-book of Bacteriology. By E. M. Crookshank, 
M.B. Fourth edition. Pp. xxx +715. (London: 
H. K. Lewis, 1896.) 
ie importance of bacteriology is undeniable; in 
fact, the study of the action of bacteria in health 
and in disease, inside and outside the animal body, has 
revealed so many new facts, it has already explained so 
many phenomena which formerly belonged to the realm 
of mystery and yet promises so much more, that we can 
easily understand why there was a danger, not even now 
totally removed, that, beguiled by this entrancing branch 
of science, pathologists would be led astray to regard 
bacteriology as the only portion of their subject worth 
taking up. We have at presenta large number of “bac- 
teriologists” in this country and abroad, many of whom 
are specialists who have entirely dissociated bacteriology 
from pathology, physiology, chemistry and botany. It 
requires comparatively little skill and study to be a 
*‘bacteriologist,” and probably more incomplete and un- 
sound work is published on bacteriology than in any other 
science. It is so easy to create a sensation with bacteria, 
especially where disease, or the prevention of disease, is 
concerned. Many bacteriologists, unfortunately, are quite 
satisfied in performing a few laboratory experiments with- 
out at the same time studying the disease itself, and they 
argue, only too often, from immature observations. They 
are ever criticising without being critical. In the study 
of disease, bacteriology cannot, and must not, be severed 
from pathology and clinical medicine or surgery. We 
insist on this, because recently an attempt has been 
made to have bacteriology recognised as a separate 
branch of the medical curriculum, with compulsory attend- 
ance and the inevitable examination at the end, without 
which there is no perfection. The principles of bacteri- 
ology must be, of course, taught with biology, pathology, 
clinical medicine and surgery, but the art and practice 
of bacteriology can only be taught by carefully-conducted 
courses extending over some weeks or months. If 
general compulsory classes were instituted, the student 
would acquire a smattering of practical bacteriology 
which is worse than useless, and this would encourage 
him in the idea that bacteriology is quite simple and 
mere child’s play. Dr. Klein has warned us against the 
bacteriological cheap-jack. 
“There seems to be an idea abroad, of which one 
hears only too often and sees its mischievous results 
continually, that for bacteriological and pathological 
studies and research all that is required is a platinum 
needle for inoculation, sterile nutrient gelatine in test- 
tubes (which can be easily bought by the dozen), a 
microscope with oil immersion, a microtome for sections 
(sections can be, of course, cut by any dexterous assist- 
ant), one or two aniline dyes (also easily bought ready 
made), and a book on bacteriology.” 
Thus writes Dr. Klein, and we agree with him that 
313 
to be the ambition of those who advocate the introduc- 
tion of compulsory courses in bacteriology. How many 
students who have been “signed up”—the signing up is 
an important factor in the scheme—would be competent 
to make a bacteriological diphtheria diagnosis? No 
more than would be competent to make a careful histo- 
logical examination after a similar course in practical 
morbid histology. Let us leave the true science and 
art of bacteriology to the serious, and give them good 
laboratories, good instruction, and plenty of time and 
good books. 
The student must derive much of his instruction from 
books, and, unfortunately, we possess but few good 
English books on bacteriology, and therefore we regret 
all the more that we cannot but express our disappoint- 
ment with the new edition of Prof. Crookshank’s work 
on bacteriology. We find that although the book is very 
bulky, that it contains but little information on points 
which require elucidation and discussion. Immunity 
is badly treated, and the process of immunity not dis- 
cussed at all, and the principles of the antitoxins are 
touched upon in the most cursory manner, and there is 
no discussion whatever of the action of antitoxic or 
preventive serum and all the pathological questions 
involved. Although our knowledge of bacteriological 
chemistry is still very incomplete, we might have 
expected a full and critical account of what has been 
done. The chemistry of tetanus is not even brought up 
to date, but undue prominence is given by the author to 
his own researches on tuberculin, so that out of ten 
pages on the whole bacterial chemistry, three are devoted 
to his and Herroun’s investigations, and the enzymes and 
ferments are passed over in eighteen short lines. The 
technical instructions are far too incomplete to be of 
any use, and had much better been left out, for practical 
bacteriology is best treated as a special subject. Coming 
to the pathological part of the book (Part ii.), we find 
that the whole subject is treated in 300 pages, of which 
about 100 pages treat of the diseases of animals. The 
utter lack of a sense of proportion is striking, and, as 
hinted above, the authors own work is always thrown 
into great relief. Thus, although actinomycosis occupies 
thirty-five pages, typhoid fever is rushed over in seven 
pages, if we make due allowances for the illustrations 
which fill five pages ; cholera is skimmed in ten pages, 
with. fifteen illustrations taking up about three pages ; 
while to scarlet fever, with the notorious Hendon and 
the Wiltshire cows, twenty-two pages have been devoted, 
of which many are dreary reading full of controversial 
matter. Diphtheria has been deemed worthy of only 
five pages, tetanus of but two, and rabies of four. No 
important subject is clearly or carefully discussed, and 
the book is full of misleading and inaccurate statements. 
Thus we read, without any further explanation or 
criticism, on page 343: ‘“‘ Whether the typhoid bacillus 
is really peculiar to typhoid is much disputed. Bacilli 
very closely resembling it, if not actually identical, have 
been found under other conditions.” The bacterium coli 
is not described, but passingly alluded to in a few 
lines which convey but little information, and the detec- 
tion of the typhoid and colon bacillus in water is so 
this is not bacteriological study ; yet that might appear | incompletely explained as to be useless, and the import- 
NO. 1423, VOL. 55 | 
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